Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Proverbs 4:25-27
This is sound advice in our day, when Right and Left, Conservative and Liberal, moderate and fundamentalist are constantly jostling for position as the correct view of reality. Especially since such competition, if you will, is not limited to politics, but is rampant in the "loving, unified" Body of Christ.
Let me make it clear right from the start that I'm not proposing some kind of "middle ground" "on the fence" position that tries to accomplish the impossible by combining and reconciling these diametrically opposed viewpoints. Far from it. Nevertheless, it has often been said that there are two ditches, one on either side of the road, and Satan doesn't care which one you fall into, just as long as you are off the road. I am afraid that many Christians, for fear of sitting on the fence, have forgotten that they are on a road, and have ended up lying in a ditch, which is far worse. In this case, the two ditches are called "Liberalism" and "Conservatism", or "Left" and "Right," respectively.
This was brought out to me in a strong way as I was reading some articles on the Christian Worldview Network recently. [Now don't get me wrong. I highly respect this excellent apologistic and evangelistic resource, and use it often. To tell the truth, I lean more strongly to the Right on most issues than to the Left. Still, both sides have some serious errors that cannot be overlooked, which is why I do not consider myself either Right or Left. I'll explain more later.]
I noticed a link to an audio interview with a well-known leader of the liberal Emerging Church movement, Brian McLaren, and decided to listen. I was saddened and somewhat frightened at what I heard, though not entirely surprised. Saddened that something like this could actually be considered a part of the Church of Christ, and frightened at the positive reception it is having even among evangelicals [just read some of the responses at the link above]. Among other things, Hell is said not to exist [or at least not as we traditionally believe], Jesus is just one of a large number of good examples of a life of love and self-sacrifice, sin is primarily a failure of humans to get along with each other, our primary goal is to fulfill God's will for us here on earth [eg, feed the poor, protect the environment, ensure good health care for everyone] while eternal things aren't as important [eg, salvation, witnessing to the lost], and we should not be as exclusive in our Christianity and think that this is the only way. Listen to it for yourself. Or, if you don't have time, read this shorter critique by Jason Carlson on the CWN.
The Christian Worldview Network, and similar conservative organisations, do a good job of pointing out the kinds of errors that liberals get into. They can show why such teachings are unbiblical, or even heretical. But at the same time, they have their own blind spots.
Take, for instance, the article by Jan Markell entitled, "Should America Kick Out Muslims That Want to Live Under Islamic Law?". The author favorably describes the banishment of Muslims who want to practice Islamic Law from Australia by the government, and encourages America to do the same. She also implies that such Muslims should not be allowed to hold "high political offices". The general attitude that comes through is one of hostility, almost hatefulness. How different from Jesus' command to "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Matthew 5:44) Or to "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:17-21) We are to love those Muslims and share the good news with them, not thrust them out in hostility. That is precisely what we criticize them for doing in their own countries. Even apart from Jesus' teachings, whatever happened to freedom of religion that Conservatives care so much about? Or does that only apply to Christians? Of course, if someone has known connections to terrorists, or is actively planning violent acts against the government, they should be watched and dealt with accordingly. But to banish an entire group of people simply because of their religious beliefs is not very "Conservative", not to mention Christian.
Another example is the article, "Was Jesus Political?", by Mark Creech. While acknowledging that Jesus' ministry was primarily spiritual, the author tries to find secondary political "corollaries" or ramifications for many of Jesus' teachings. It is true that many of the principles Jesus taught could be and have been applied in the area of politics, but to assert that Jesus was including secondary political meanings in His spiritual teachings seems to me to be stretching it a bit. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus and the Apostles stressed that the Kingdom of God was not of this world, and neither should its citizens be.
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15 "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord," 2 Corinthians 6:17 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2 "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:33 "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26 And on it goes.
We are to forsake everything--our possessions, our family, our rights, our very lives--and yield complete and total allegiance to our new King. How then can we cling to the kingdoms of this world?
Furthermore, the laws of the Kingdom of God and the laws of the kingdoms of this world are almost always in direct contradiction. We have to obey the one or the other. We cannot obey both. Herein lies one of the chief errors of the "religious right". If the Constitution and the laws of earthly kingdoms were the final authority, they would be right on in most cases, and I would be one of them. But the laws of the Kingdom of God are the ultimate universal authority, and I must abide by them, as must all Christians.
These laws are often quite different from the principles Conservatives hold dear. In fact, Liberals are sometimes much closer to them than Conservatives are. For instance, as mentioned above, we are to love our enemies, yet "When the United States ponders going to war, nowadays 'Bible-believing' Christians are invariably the ones who are the most adamantly in favor of military action," as David Bercot points out in his book The Kingdom That Turned the World Upside Down. [(Texas, USA: Scroll Publishing, 2003.) 68.] How can we love our enemies and be in favor of killing them at the same time? Conservatives often try to "legislate morality", but the Bible clearly teaches that a person, and also a society, must be changed from the inside out. The Church is to use the Spirit to impact society, not the State. The Apostles and early Christians did not petition Rome to allow Israel to be a free country once more, nor did they try to influence the Empire through politics to follow their beliefs. Rather, they put their zeal into spreading the gospel of the higher Kingdom, one that is without geographical boundaries or political parties. They obeyed and submitted to some of the worse dictators in history, without complaining that they were losing their tax exempt status. [Bad illustration, but you get the idea.] Patriotism is another area in which these Christians were noticably lacking. Paul said that "my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." (Romans 10:1) Not, "that they might be free from the Roman Empire" or "that they might regain their original territory", but that they would be saved. And in the end, that is the best kind of patriotism a Christian can have.
So what am I saying? I guess what I'm trying to point out is that God's Kingdom is not made up of Conservatives or Liberals. It is made up of Christians. Not those who stick to a particular ideology, or even theology, but those who know Jesus Christ personally, and live it out in their everyday lives. Rather than crusading for a particular viewpoint, we should be witnessing for Jesus and living out the Kingdom life according to Kingdom laws.
The liberals miss this by denying the King. Jesus is the only Way, Truth, and Life. The Conservatives miss it by denying the laws. Jesus' Kingdom is not of this world. Rather than falling into either of these ditches, we should take heed to Proverbs and stay in the middle of the road. After all, the road is very narrow, and the way dangerous. But if we are truly seeking, God will lead us in the right way.
Whatever ditch you are in, get out. Start walking the narrow path, with Jesus and His Word as your guide, not some man-made ideology or creed. Forget about being a Liberal or a Conservative. Be a Christian.
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7 comments:
I was called by the Lord into a polical ministry run by and with Christians. Our brief is to resist evil legislation and lobby for morality in Parliamentary procedures. I'm glad I found your blog because I needed to be reminded of the "narrow" road and the two chasms. But I used to think just what you think here in this post, but now that I try to "do good unto all men" by resisting evil in Government I find it hard to say "let's not get involved in politics if we're Christians and only preach the gospel". The Lord said to go into all the world and teach all nations and surely we don't just teach from a pulpit? Do we not teach ALL men everywhere in every possible way? I firmly believe the only true POWER is the Lord and His Spirit and pray for it and hope for it, and support all preaching and ministry, but in the meantime, this is the "good" that the Lord has appointed me to. I'm not a preacher. Even Paul appealed to Caesar. I know he'd been told by the Lord Jesus that he would be His witness to kings and Paul probably saw his circumstances as the road to fulfilment of the Lord's words, but three times Paul "demanded justice" in Acts and this seems to slipstream in with the Lord's prophesy about the direction of his life, i.e. Paul's natural inclination to the Law and justice, and his belief in its good purpose for all men. I wish there was a mighty revival, and I'd long to feel the Spirit come in power, but what do I do until He comes? Shall I be idle? Or shall I be found faithful when He comes?
I appreciate your comments. I was beginning to think I was talking to myself. :)
I'm not here to question your calling or judge those who are involved in politics. I've struggled for a while on the issue of whether or not Christians should be involved in politics, and if so, to what extent. I find the causes Christians fight for in politics to be very appealing, and like I said I would be a conservative if the Constitution were my highest law and America my only country of citizenship.
But I have come to realize that I am called to a far nobler fight for a far higher Kingdom, and owe my allegiance to a far higher Leader. The righteous causes Christians fight for in politics are good, yes--in the short run, right here on earth. But in eternity, when earth will be no more, what difference will they actually make? What difference will it make whether the Ten Commandments are displayed in public buildings, or whether gays are allowed to marry? What difference will it make whether illegal immigrants are allowed to stay, or whether we pull out of Iraq?
There are very serious problems in America and the other countries of the West [and indeed, of the whole world], and they will have lasting consequences in this life, so I'm not trying to minimize that. I'm not saying we ignore those problems, and "just preach the gospel". Not at all. But the important thing is how we fight, how we address those issues. Most, if not all, of these issues are only symptoms of a deeper problem, a problem not caused by politics, and therefore not remedied by politics. If you feel that you should be fighting for what is right through politics, I'm not judging you or questioning your calling. But frankly, I think you're wasting your time. Let's say the church as a whole does rise up and fight, and gets all the laws passed, liberties protected, evils defeated that they want. How long do you think that will last? I wouldn't give it one generation. Jesus warned us the world was going to get more evil as we neared the end of time [which we are]. Nothing we can do can stop that, and certainly nothing we can do through politics.
We are not called to heal all the evils of the society. We are called to preach the gospel to the people who make up society, so Jesus can heal their hearts and transform their lives. Then, and only then can society be changed for the better--and stay that way.
No, we are not all preachers. But as Christians, we are all called to be witnesses, to be "embassadors for Christ", to live out the Christian life ["in every possible way", as you said] so others can see and be impacted. We are to reflect God's love and compassion for those who are lost, even those who are our enemies (whether personal, political, or national). We cannot do that while we are fighting with them.
That is one of the main reasons I decided that politics isn't the way to go. To hear some of the comments and criticisms leading Christians make about their political opponents is shocking. They are attacking the very people they are supposed to be loving and leading to Christ. I'm not saying that we should condone or encourage what those people are doing, but neither should we be fighting and attacking them. The Bible says that we are fighting a spiritual battle, with spiritual weapons, against spiritual foes. You cannot fight a spiritual enemy through a carnal weapon like politics.
No, we should not be idle. Yes, we should be faithful. But we don't have to wait for the power of the Spirit to come--it is already here, inside of us, if we truly have been born again. Rather than rejecting that Power as not sufficient or relevant and relying instead on the power of the State, we should utilizing that Power, or rather allowing that Power to use us to bring about the needed changes on a far deeper, spiritual level than politics can ever hope to reach. The only thing that limits or hinders that Power is us. The Bible says that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church. Note the word "gates". That means we are the ones doing the attacking, and Satan is on the defensive. But we cannot attack Satan with the featherduster of politics. If we continue to neglect the real, spiritual Power of the Holy Spirit and rely instead on the phantom, carnal power of human politics, it is no wonder our efforts are not accomplishing much. Satan loves to distract us from the best with the good or even very good. If he can get Christians to lay down their spiritual weapons and forsake their spiritual battle to crusade for a just cause using carnal weapons, he will be satisfied that he has effectively neutralized the "armies of the living God".
I'm not saying that it is necessarily wrong to be involved in politics, but there is a much better, more effective way of dealing with the ills of the world. And when Jesus returns, I highly doubt that He will ask if you voted Republican or Democrat. But He will we asking whether you were faithful to His command to "go into all the world and preach the gospel" and to "be witnesses unto me...unto the ends of the earth".
Nate
Hmmm.
Well, if you managed to get the Ten Commandments into every public building I would send you a great big present. The law is the schoolmaster to bring people unto Christ, and I personally was convicted of my sin because the Decalogue was plastered all over Gloucester and I realised that if Christ came back "today" I was going to hell. (Of course, I only knew about hell because the Gideons gave out Testaments at school, but at least it was a Bible-friendly school which also taught us the Ten Commandments - a privilege we are losing in our country because Parliament doesn't understand the Truth). I have to confess that my parents are not Christians so they didn't bring me up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
You're right that it may probably all revert back to anarchy after a generation but we are less concerned about that next generation than the one we live in, though certainly not unconcerned about it, but LESS concerned. We see the dying all around us today and we want to pull them from the pit today. I have a personal maxim that every generation is a mission field. We are to go therefore into all the world EVERY generation, and preach the gospel to EVERY nation, including our own. And if we don't do something in this generation, it'll be harder in the next one - humanly speaking of course.
You're right, we shouldn't RELY on the state, and I confess that political lobbying has that real danger of tempting you to do just that. But I think that, if we really are seeking the Lord and His will, He'll pull us back, as individuals, from that snare. But there is that danger, and it can easily catch on with great numbers.
Robert Murray McCheyne was one man filled with the Spirit, so was Stephen the martyr, and Jonathan Edwards, and who-knows-how-many invisible housewives, cleaners, postmen, etc who bring people into the Kingdom by their quiet holiness. But can't we be filled with the Spirit in politics too? What about William Wilberforce? He berated himself that his personal devotions were lacking and so God let him stumble in a particular matter of politics, so he resolved to commune more with God. He's the one who managed to abolish slavery. I know that didn't necessarily save anybody, but we are supposed to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven.
You talk about "us" as if all Christians were suddenly going to fall into a political career and forsake the mission field. Well, they're not. Although I have to say that the organisation I work for is managing to mobilise Christians in their tens of thousands to lobby parliament or protest against ungodly things. And I do worry that since the CHURCH is the pillar and ground of the truth we should be careful how we "lead" them (perhaps you could add a prayer for us on this one?).
Your last point is, I find, painfully pertinent. Perhaps the answer is to make sure you are fighting the carnal battle using spiritual weapons, as well as your carnal ones. Not all battles were won in the Old Testament by merely spreading a letter before the Lord and waking up the next day to 85,000 corpses you know. Most of them involved mighty men who slew other mighty men with real weapons and real death. And they prayed and worshipped and sacrificed lambs and bulls too. Poor Solomon didn't have much slaying to do and although he was very wise, he was awfully lascivious and idolatrous. Though I grant that his repentance at the end of his life is implied by his teaching to rejoice in the wife of thy youth, as if he was sick of all the others.
I hope you are praying for me. On a personal level I came home tonight prepared to jack all this in, for the very reasons you suggest. But I've talked myself back into standing, and doing what I can to destroy the works of the devil. I shall just have to make more time for tracting and try not to pass by the tramp on the bench who is obviously in need of a Christian witness.
Absolutely lastly, I agree that the gospel is the answer. And, should the Lord bless it, the groundswell of holiness would move from the bottom to the top and the populace would demand righteous laws. So I keep praying for ministers, I keep giving out good reformed books to young men who may become ministers, and I also hope that the Lord will "open rivers in high places", i.e. convert some of the politicians. Who knows?
Is the New Covenant essentially different from the Old? Are we not still to carry a sword AND a trowel?
God's Handiwork
I hope you don't mind if I respond in a point-by-point fashion. I'm not trying to argue, but I find it much easier than scrolling back and forth endlessly. Plus, it makes it more clear what I'm referring to.
Well, if you managed to get the Ten Commandments into every public building I would send you a great big present. The law is the schoolmaster to bring people unto Christ, and I personally was convicted of my sin because the Decalogue was plastered all over Gloucester and I realised that if Christ came back "today" I was going to hell.
I agree with you about the role of the law in salvation. Undoubtedly, if the Ten Commandments were displayed in every courthouse it would have a huge impact for good in many people's lives. But that does not justify the means of putting it there. If it is there at all, it should be because the general population wants it there and is glad that it is there, not because Christians got together and forcibly put it there, or even replaced it there after it was forcibly taken down. Furthermore, the Ten Commandments would do a whole lot more good if they were prominently displayed in the lives of professing Christians, many of whom currently live just like the godless society around them. I think too often professing Christians push hard for things like public displays of the Commandments in an effort to cover up or make up for the lack of such display in their own lives. I'm not saying all Christians who push for that kind of thing are like that, but most professing Christians are sadly lacking in consistency. How many of those pushing for the Ten Commandments in public places can even name the them? Again, it would undoubtedly do good to have the Commandments publicly displayed, but that does not justify the unbiblical means used to have it displayed, and it would be more effective if Christians were to simply live those commandments.
You're right that it may probably all revert back to anarchy after a generation but we are less concerned about that next generation than the one we live in, though certainly not unconcerned about it, but LESS concerned. We see the dying all around us today and we want to pull them from the pit today. I have a personal maxim that every generation is a mission field. We are to go therefore into all the world EVERY generation, and preach the gospel to EVERY nation, including our own. And if we don't do something in this generation, it'll be harder in the next one - humanly speaking of course.
I agree with you that we are responsible for our own generation and also what gets handed down to the next generation. But again, does the end justify the means? Is it biblical to use politics to remove pornography and immorality from the public airwaves so our children and grandchildren will not grow up under such ungodly influences? Should not such things go because the general population abhors them and want them to go, rather than because a group of Christians got together and had them forcibly removed? Again, how many of those same Christians are perfectly content to sit and watch the latest "hot" movie, with all of its associated violence, immorality, and general filth? Would it not be much more effective if Christians would refuse to watch anything that violates the principles of Philippians 4:8? "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Again, is forced public morality more valuable than voluntary private morality? And if every Christian were to live consistently in this area, would we even have a problem with such filth on the public media?
You're right, we shouldn't RELY on the state, and I confess that political lobbying has that real danger of tempting you to do just that. But I think that, if we really are seeking the Lord and His will, He'll pull us back, as individuals, from that snare. But there is that danger, and it can easily catch on with great numbers.
Again, why resort to such a faulty, ineffective method that involves such snares in the first place, when we have a much better, more powerful, more effective method at our disposal? Why use the world's tools when we have the tools of God Almighty in our hands?
Robert Murray McCheyne was one man filled with the Spirit, so was Stephen the martyr, and Jonathan Edwards, and who-knows-how-many invisible housewives, cleaners, postmen, etc who bring people into the Kingdom by their quiet holiness. But can't we be filled with the Spirit in politics too? What about William Wilberforce? He berated himself that his personal devotions were lacking and so God let him stumble in a particular matter of politics, so he resolved to commune more with God. He's the one who managed to abolish slavery. I know that didn't necessarily save anybody, but we are supposed to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven.
Again, I'm not saying it is wrong to be involved in politics, or that we can't do good there. But again, does the end justify the means? There are many great politicians who were also great Christians. Many of them did tremendous good. But does that make involvment in politics good if the Bible teaches against it? Take the Civil War in America, for example. It abolished slavery, which most people would call good. But at what expense? At the expense of thousands of lives lost, of brother killing brother, father killing son, Christian slaughtering Christian. Families were torn apart; lives destroyed. Could not slavery have been abolished by other means? God does not specifically condemn slavery, but He does command us, as Christians, in the New Testament to love our enemies and do good to all men. We cannot do that by killing them.
You talk about "us" as if all Christians were suddenly going to fall into a political career and forsake the mission field. Well, they're not. Although I have to say that the organisation I work for is managing to mobilise Christians in their tens of thousands to lobby parliament or protest against ungodly things. And I do worry that since the CHURCH is the pillar and ground of the truth we should be careful how we "lead" them (perhaps you could add a prayer for us on this one?).
By becoming involved in politics, I mean either holding political office, or being actively involved in publicly promoting particular parties, candidates, or platforms. In other words, marching in a protest, etc. as well as campaigning for office. And no, I don't expect all Christians to go into a political career, as such. Still, many prominent Christian leaders might as well be holding public offices if you judge by their level of involvment in politics. I find it very disturbing when such leaders expect you to vote for a particular candidate and even insinuate that you must not be a good Christian if you voted for the opposing party. That is simply not the job or the concern of the Church. As for lobbying or petitioning the government, I have no problem with Christians letting their representatives in government know where they stand on a particular issue, if they so desire. But to try to get the government to forcibly protect, promote, or enforce their beliefs seems to me to be contrary to the biblical principles of inward transformation that result in outward obedience, not the opposite.
I do pray for the church about this issue, but if Christians deliberately place themselves in that danger, they should not be surprised at what happens.
Your last point is, I find, painfully pertinent. Perhaps the answer is to make sure you are fighting the carnal battle using spiritual weapons, as well as your carnal ones. Not all battles were won in the Old Testament by merely spreading a letter before the Lord and waking up the next day to 85,000 corpses you know. Most of them involved mighty men who slew other mighty men with real weapons and real death. And they prayed and worshipped and sacrificed lambs and bulls too.
The problem is that the battle is spiritual, not carnal. Whatever law you might be trying to defeat or pass, whatever public evil you may be trying to address, whatever right or good you may be trying to defend, the ultimate battle is between Satan and his evil forces and God and his good forces. Again, you cannot fight Satan with carnal weapons. You might win against the human foe with carnal weapons, but if in doing so you compromise God's Word, you have ultimately lost the spiritual battle to your spiritual foe. Satan doesn't care if you defeat an evil opponent who's pushing an evil practice, if in doing so you make an enemy of him and those he represents, and thus turn them permanently away from God and into hell. For example, Christians might be able to stop the legalization of same-sex marriage, but in doing so politically, they make enemies of most gays. Gays are people too, just as much in need of a Saviour as anyone else. To alienate them from the love and forgiveness God offers for the sake of a political ideal that doesn't really matter in eternity is, to me, not justified. Of course, you will have enemies whatever you do, but at least they can be your enemies because you stand for truth, not because you stand for an artificial public morality.
I hope you are praying for me. On a personal level I came home tonight prepared to jack all this in, for the very reasons you suggest. But I've talked myself back into standing, and doing what I can to destroy the works of the devil. I shall just have to make more time for tracting and try not to pass by the tramp on the bench who is obviously in need of a Christian witness.
I am praying for you, and also request your prayers for me. It is easy to say we much preach the gospel, but much harder to actually do it. As for fighting the devil, what I am saying is that it is much more effective to fight the devil and his forces at the individual level through witnessing and evangelism, as well as the example of a consistent, godly life, than it is to fight his servants or him through his own area of expertise, namely politics. We're trading in the nuclear missiles of evangelism for the BB guns of politics.
Absolutely lastly, I agree that the gospel is the answer. And, should the Lord bless it, the groundswell of holiness would move from the bottom to the top and the populace would demand righteous laws. So I keep praying for ministers, I keep giving out good reformed books to young men who may become ministers, and I also hope that the Lord will "open rivers in high places", i.e. convert some of the politicians. Who knows?
The problem again is that too many are being distracted from using the gospel by other good methods such as politics. It is much easier to fight the battle on the physical and mental level than it is at the spiritual, but you can get nowhere by doing that. What we need is not more godly politicians as much as more godly Christian witnesses.
Is the New Covenant essentially different from the Old? Are we not still to carry a sword AND a trowel?
God's Handiwork
This is a different, though closely related topic, and I don't have time or space to go into it in detail here. Perhaps I will in a future post, though, since a proper understanding of the two covenants and corresponding kingdoms is vital for understanding the issue of politics, as well as such issues of Christians going to war, suing others in court, etc.
Suffice it to say that yes, the New Covenant is most definitely and foundationally different from the Old Covenant. The only sword we are to carry under the New Covenant is the "Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."
John 18:36 Jesus answered...if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight...but now is my kingdom not from hence.
We are under a completely new, spiritual kingdom, rather than under the old physical, political, geographical kingdom of Israel.
Many Christians fail to realize this, and that is where the confusion over such issues as politics come from.
In summary, politics can do a lot of good, but the end does not justify the means. We are in a different kingdom, a spiritual one, and have much more effective weapons at our disposal than politics.
Again, I'm not trying to argue with you, though I believe a good, deep discussion is beneficial, as it forces us to dig into God's Word. I'm praying for you, and ask that you pray for me too, that I may be consistent in practicing what I preach.
In Christ,
Nate
Is it biblical to use politics to remove pornography and immorality from the public airwaves so our children and grandchildren will not grow up under such ungodly influences?
The sum of it is, yes, it's not only biblical, but God has given us "government" (which isn't necessarily the same thing as politics) to bring this about. I'm beginning to see that government is a legitimate and necessary revelation of God on the earth - if you read the Larger Catechism of the Westminster Standards, and particularly on the fifth commandment, you will see that Government, parents, all authority, is the earthly, worldly representation of God in His own creation. However, this is not the same as the gospel,and doesn't save, but I think it's function is to make men fear God, and fear authority. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. The law, then is the school master to bring us to Christ. And I believe the government of a land is under an obligation to its creator and owner, God, to establish God's law as the rule of law.
However, as you say, it's only when the greater part of the population calls for and walks in Christian thinking that it can be instituted governmentally. This doesn't stop Christians from holding up the truth in the face of ungodly lawmakers, though, in a time of spiritual darkness. BUT, there is a more effective way to tackle the spiritual darkness: the Holy Spirit inspired preaching of the gospel either publicly, or privately, either by our "conversation" or our conversation, you will understand my King James allusion.
So, in summary, I have to say that there is a place for the people who do this kind of thing, and I believe it is a God-ordained ministry and requirement. However, you are right also, there is that better way, that BEST way, of walking before God, the apex of the triangle, i.e. proclaiming the gospel. But it's not divorced from the earthly, worldly, governmental aspects in our lives as Christians. All providence seems to mesh together, and the natural and the spiritual slipstream into one another, and God oversees it all, and predetermines it all. (Have you read Pink's Sovereignty of God?) Whilst I cannot be convinced that Christians should not be in government (not the same as politics - but the elected and given responsibility of ruling in God's name according to God's word), I AM convinced that only the gospel gives life. The law kills, but the gospel gives life, so who wouldn't want, rather, to be in a life-giving work? I look forward to your next article, and yes I am praying for you.
Sorry it was rude of my not to sign at the end, I don't want you to think I'm offended in any way!
Sincerely, in Christ
God's Handiwork
I agree completely that government is ordained of God and is necessary and legitimate. The Bible numerous times declares that it is God who sets up and removes kings, who guides the nations, who works through even the most ungodly nations. I am not at all questioning the legitimacy of secular civil governments. Far from it. I believe America's founding was a result of God's work and guidance in the lives of godly people, and based upon godly principles. Nevertheless, we must realize that Nazi Germany was just as much the result of God's working, though it was completely opposite in nature. God doesn't play favorites. "The people that fear the Lord, they shall be blessed" [something like that], no matter who they are or where they live, and the people who disobey God will be punished, no matter who they are and where they live. Contrary to what many people think, I don't believe America is God's special nation. True, America has done great good in the world, and has been used of God greatly and blessed greatly. But God also uses ungodle nations like Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia to accomplish His purposes, and may at times even bless those nations. Numerous times in the Old Testament God used very wicked nations to punish "righteous" Israel. "The powers that be are ordained of God", whether those powers are good or evil.
In Romans 13, where the previous quotation is from, God calls these civil rulers "ministers of God", but that in no way endorses Christians holding such an office. The "minister of God" at the time this was written was probably the tremendously wicked and ruthless emperor Nero. Hitler was just as much a "minister of God" in this respect as George Washington was. The phrase simply means that the rulers are God's servants, who are appointed by Him to fulfill His purposes, whether or not they realize it or want it, or even acknowledge God. It does not necessarily mean that God expects such rulers to establish His law here on earth. Nor does it mean that Christians are have God's blessing to fill those roles.
In fact, listen to the discription of those rulers in verse four of Romans 13: "For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
Contrast that with the following descriptions of how a Christian should live:
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Matthew 26:52
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Romans 12:19
True, government and its leaders are ordained of God, and fill certain necessary and good responsibilities. But Christians have a completely different responsibility before God. Government is to stand for justice, vengeance, the rights of its citizens. Christians are to stand for mercy, forgiveness, and the surrender of all rights to God. To name just a few differences. In short, the Christian and the public official have two completely different sets of rules to follow, rules that are often diametrically opposed. If one can find a way to satisfactorily reconcile those opposing rules, there would be no problem with a Christian occupying public office. Until then, I don't see how anyone can hold public office while maintaining consistency in his Christian life.
Anyway, I'll discuss this in more detail in upcoming posts.
I think I've heard of Pink, by the way, but I haven't read any of his writings. One book that addresses this issue, and that I highly recommend, is The Kingdom That Turned the World Upside Down, by David Bercot.
In Christ,
Nate
P.S. Thanks for your prayers.
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